Well-cleaning device.



H. M. GREEN.

WELL CLEANING DEVICE. APPLICATlON FI LED 020.26, 1917.

1,279,333. PatentedSep t. 17,1918.

lN/ZENTOR.

14; ATTORNEY HENRY M. GREEN, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI. I

WELL- CLEAN IN G DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Sept, 11?, flgllfi.

Application filed December 26, 1917. Serial No. 208,970.

To all whom it may concern."

Be it known that I, HENRY M. GREEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kansas City, in the county of J ackson, State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Well-Cleaning Devices, of which the following is a full and exact specification.

' his invention relates to devices for cleaning out wells of comparatively small diameter, such as oil wells, sional use of some means for removing the sand, dirt and the like from the bottom of the well. The present invention aims to employ a flow of water for this purpose directed through the pump tubing of the well.

The primary object of the invention, therefore, is to provide a simple device adapted to be attached to the pump tubing and contion of structed to produce and maintain a vigorous whirling action of the water at the points from Where the sand and the like are to be removed.

It is further sought to devise a construction which will operate to aid in the feeding movement of the apparatus through the material as it is removed.

With these general objects in view, the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing wherein is illustrated a "practical form of construction for embodying the which the novel features thereof will be particularly specified in the appended claims.

In the drawing- Figure 1 is asectional elevation showing a well casingprovided with a cleaning device or pump attachment constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the cleaning device, taken on the line 2+2 of Fig. 1 and looking in the direction of the arrow in the latter view; and I Fig. 3 is a transverse section/taken on the line 33 of Fi 1.

Referring to die drawing in detail, a pora. well casing ,4 is shown, within which is positioned a pumping tube 6 to the lower end of which is designed to be removably connected the pipe section 8 of the cleaning attachment, the section 8 forming an extension of the tubing 6 and connection thereto being suitably made by means of a coupling 10. Attached to the sides of the pipe section 8 is a. series of elbow discharge tubes 12 serving as water ejecting elements which require the occa-' purpose of improvements, after -1s a footpiece 16, which in communication with the interior of said pipe section. The tubes 12 are arranged in spiral irelation around the pipe section 8 and with their outer end portions extended in approximately tangential relation to the outer surface of said pipe section. The outer ends of the tubes are also turned in the same general circumferential direction (see Fig. 3) with reference to the pipe section in order that the jets of water discharged from the tubes will combine to produce a whirl of water having the same general direction circumferentially about the said pipe section. Some of the tubes 12',Wi'1l be positioned approximately horizontal, as at the middle of the pipe section 8, while above and below the horizontal tubes the other tubes will preferably be turned slightly upward and downward, respectively (Figs. 1 and 3) for the producing jets discharged in somewhat diagonal directions while'at the same time maintaining the same general 'cir cumferential movement of the whirl of water within the casing i, these diagonal jets serving to increase the effectiveness of the cleaning operation. The number of tubes 12 and the combined area of their cross-sections will also be such as to approximately equal the cross-sectional area of the pipe section 8, or maybe somewhat less than said cross-sec tional area of the pipe section 8 in case it should be desired to increase the force of the jet action through the tubes 12.

' Threaded to the lower end of the pipe section 8 and fixed thereto by means of a pin 14 18, in its upper face, its bottom face being of inverted-cone shape, whereby the footpiece is adapted to settle readily through the deposits of material to be removed by the action of the device.

In the operation of the device, the pump tubing is taken up out ofthe well in order to replace the usual pump cylinder or work is recessed, as atmg barrel of the pump with the cleaning attachment, which is secured in place by means of the union or coupling 10. The

pump tubing is then again lowered into the well casing 4 until the foot-plece 16 reaches the material to be cleaned out of tom of the well and settles in said material until the attachment becomes partially embedded therein. Wa-ter is driven by any suitable means down through the tubing and .-obviously is ejected in approximately tangential jets through the tubes 12 into the the bot-- space beween the attachment and the casing 4, and thereby produces a vigorous whirling motion of the Water in said space. Some of the water will pass down around the footpiece and act to loosen up the dirt and sand material around the same and thus promote the feeding action of the device, which action is of course further facilitated by the conical form of the foot-piece. Further, the water around the attachment is soon charged with the material, and thisbeing more or less gritty, the whirling of the water charged with such grit rapidly cuts and eats its way through theremaining deposits of material. A continuous stream of the water, carrying away the material whicir becomes suspended therein, is driven by the pressure from within the pump tubing and attachment on up within the casing 45 and around the exterior of the pump tubing 6 to the top of the well; the whirling motion of the water, as well as its advance movement (which would be otherwise retarded on account of the larger cross-sectional area outside the attachment), is constantly maintained, however, around the attachment by the construction and arrangement of the tubes 12.

It will thus be apparent that an extremely simple means is provided for effectively loosening up the deposits and thoroughly cleaning and scouring out the bottom of the well by means of a whirling water flow, and that the device comprises a very inexpensive form of construction that is both economical and eflicient in its operation. structure shown and described constitutes a satisfactory and practical embodiment ofthe improvements, the right is reserved to all such formal changes or modifications as may fairly fall within the scope of the claims ap pended hereto.

What I claim is:

' 1. Means for cleaning out the bottoms of wells and adapted for attachment to pumping tubes, comprising a pipe section having means for attachment to the bottom of the pumping tube and within the well casing, said pipe section being provided with lateral water discharge passages extending outward and arranged to discharge ets of water from said pipe section into the space between said pipe section and the well casing and approximately tangentially to the outer surface of said pipe section for producing a whirl of While the water in the same general circumferential direction wlthin said caslng.

3. Means for cleaning out thebottoms of wells and adapted for attachment to pumping tubes, comprising a pipe section having means for attachment to the bottom of the pumping tube and within the well casing, and jet tubes carried by said pipe section and forming outlets therefrom into the space between said pipe section and well casing, the discharge ends of said jet tubes being turned in position to discharge approximately tangentially to the outer surface of said pipe section with some of said discharge ends extending diagonally downward and others diagonally upward and all pointing'in the same general circumferential direction with reference to said pipe section, whereby a circumferential whirl of water is produced around said pipe section within said well Casing.

l. Means for cleaning out the bottoms of wells and adapted for attachment'to pumping tubes, comprising a pipe section having means for attachment to the bottom of the pumping tube and within the Well casing, said pipe section being provided with lateral water discharge passages extending outward and arranged to discharge jets of water from said pipe section into the space between said pipe section and the well casing and ap proximately tangentially to the outer surface of said pipe section for producing a whirl of water in the same general circumferential direction within said casing, and a foot-piece of inverted-cone shape secured to the lower end of said pipe section.

In witness whereof I afiix my signature.

HENRY M. GREEN. 

